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Submit- Full
name
DAVIS, William Lawrence - Date of
birth
17 September 1922 -
Age
22 - Place of
birth
Rochester, Monroe County, New York -
Hometown
Rochester, Monroe County, New York
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
O-826891 -
Rank
Second Lieutenant -
Function
Co-Pilot -
Unit
549th Bombardment Squadron,
385th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
6 October 1944 - Place of
death
Friesack, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| B | 24 | 6 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Milton R. Davis (father)
Gertrute J. Davis (mother)
Marion E. Davis (sister)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-98016 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Destination: Berlin, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the industrial area
MACR: 9524
More information
2nd Lt Davis graduated from Edison Technical High School and worked for the Rochester Gas & Electric Corporation.He enlisted in September 1942 and was sent overseas in July 1944.
At 1207 hours, at the I.P., enemy fighters attacked in mass formation from the rear and above, coming out of the clouds. The first attack reduced the Group strength to 2 B-17s (which two is undetermined). The fighters then returned and in another mass attack, using the same tactics, shot down the remaining two. Attacks were very aggressive and sudden.
No exact information of the attack is available because no B-17 of the Group concerned returned.
One crew member was taken prisoner, eight men were killed. They were initially buried in a common grave at the local cemetery of Friesack, on 7 October 1944.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.usaafdata.com, www.fold3.com - MACR, www.ancestry.com - 1930 Census, www.newspapers.com - Democrat and Chronicle, WWII Draft Card
Photo source: Jac Engels, www.newspapers.com - Democrat and Chronicle